Geoff Hilton is Head of Research & Chief Scientist at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. The work of Geoff and his team supports the conservation of numerous species including spoon-billed sandpiper, Madagascar pochard, Greenland white-fronted geese, red-breasted geese and common scoter. The Gulf of Mottama is the ideal place to […]
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The Las Vegas strip is a dream location for some. However, if nature is your thing, this sterile, urban environment makes it real challenging to get your daily wildlife fix. Recently, I found myself in the middle of the strip and decided to pit my skills against that challenge. I […]
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Since 15th August this year two Leica APO Televid 82 field scopes have been scanning the sea at Peniche, Portugal. They are part of the Peniche Seabird Count, a project initiated by Professor Johan Elmberg from Kristianstad University, Swedish birder and author Erik Hirschfeld and local birder Helder Cardoso. With […]
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Isolated in the middle of the North Atlantic and bordering the Arctic Circle, Iceland stands sentinel to the meteorological depressions of the Great North. At the young age of 20 million years, this island offers a landscape known for its birding and midnight sun. By Philippe Jaeger After leaving Iceland’s capital, […]
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Cool morning temperatures and crisp organic scents saturate the forest floor while lush blankets of red, yellow and gold adorn the treetops; autumn has fallen across North America. The chaos and excitement of breeding season is over. Young birds are learning the ins and outs of functioning on their own […]
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We all know that binoculars are one of the most important pieces of wildlife observation equipment. Manufacturers are always keen to tell you about long lists of amazing selling points – image quality, brightness, contrast, transmission, waterproofing and so on – but one they don’t often mention is how much […]
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As typical, last weekend I went birding locally and as usual, I carried the Leica V-Lux (typ 114) camera with me to preserve digital memories along the way. I’ve said on numerous occasions, „this is the best wildlife camera we have ever produced“ and I mean it. Why?!?… the simple answer is: […]
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Roland Digby is an expert aviculturist. His skill at breeding and rearing birds has helped return cirl buntings and Eurasian cranes to parts of southern England. He’s spent long periods working in remote parts of the world including the Madagascar highlands, where he helped set up breeding facilities for the […]
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In most coastal areas, bird distribution off shore is generally much less understood than than that of land birds. The reason is simple, the cost and logistical difficulties of getting off shore is a challenge, requiring much greater planning and effort than merely peering into backyard brush for migrants. The water […]
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So did you hear the one about the guy who fought off a Grizzly Bear with his spotting scope?!?… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, I know, but this is a true and amazing story. In spring 2013 the Leica Birding Facebook page was tagged in the rather random […]
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